Royal Train nostalgia/memories

[83G/84D]

Back nearly 40 years ago when I started on the railway we had the Royal train stabled on the depot where I worked.

It was hidden in a siding with parcel vans parked either side of it and police checking everyone coming in to the location.

Needless to say the local cleaners on the depot were not allowed anywhere near it.

We were told by our immediate manager that the carriage washing machine had been turned off as the carriages were hand waxed and polished and a trip through the washer wasn’t allowed.

I don’t know if that was true but it was something I always remember from all those years ago!

 

[Harpo]

We were told by our immediate manager that the carriage washing machine had been turned off as the carriages were hand waxed and polished and a trip through the washer wasn’t allowed.

I don’t know if that was true but it was something I always remember from all those years ago!

Sounds right. I doubt those vehicles ever got within a mile of Exmover.

 

[Supercoss]

At stations, so that the train could be correctly stopped with doors aligned to red carpet, measurements were taken beforehand and a small “x” chalked on the platform surface .
On the day a member of staff had to stand on the “x” and display a yellow flag ( or lamp) to indicate correct stopping mark.
I recall some trivia question of “ when does a yellow flag mean stop?” But never saw the instruction actually written in any operating document.
In those days train orders on a need to know basis with documents sealed with wax until the movements manager and train crew supervisor given authority to open, all train crew having to be pre advised name wise to the authorities and train crew diagrams printed with names.
The other thing I remember is being told never to connect the ETH jumpers between loco and Royal Train as it has on board generator and not to use a Battery Electric TailLamp as the brake coaches had built in tail lamps

 

[Elecman]

At stations, so that the train could be correctly stopped with doors aligned to red carpet, measurements were taken beforehand and a small “x” chalked on the platform surface .
On the day a member of staff had to stand on the “x” and display a yellow flag ( or lamp) to indicate correct stopping mark.

I know of at least one occasion where the planner forgot that the train reversed en route and had the carpet in completely the wrong location !!

 

[Gloster]

As signalmen we used to get a special train notice brought round by management not very much (only hours) in advance. I think we used to have to sign for the notice and also make an entry in the train register: the notices were individually numbered, i.e. box A got number 0071, B got 0072, etc. The notices were then to be collected after the train had passed.

Trains on opposite lines had to be stopped for the passage of the Royal. I wonder if this had a connection with the risk of a deluge if two trains passed when using a water trough, but it is probably just a general safety precaution. The only trains in my areas that didn’t get affected were the West of England Newspapers and the Up and Down Postals: if need be the Royal‘s times were planned so that they passed it when it was biding time in a loop.

 

[John Webb]

As signalmen we used to get a special train notice brought round by management not very much (only hours) in advance. I think we used to have to sign for the notice and also make an entry in the train register: the notices were individually numbered, i.e. box A got number 0071, B got 0072, etc. The notices were then to be collected after the train had passed.

Trains on opposite lines had to be stopped for the passage of the Royal. I wonder if this had a connection with the risk of a deluge if two trains passed when using a water trough, but it is probably just a general safety precaution. The only trains in my areas that didn’t get affected were the West of England Newspapers and the Up and Down Postals: if need be the Royal‘s times were planned so that they passed it when it was biding time in a loop.

I have a copy of the British Transport Commission/British Railways publication BR86153, dating from September 1957. (It was obtained 3 years ago from a society bookstall at a model railway exhibition.) This booklet deals with Royal Trains running under certain code-names, and throughout the booklet these trains are referred to as 'the Special Train'.

As you say, all traffic on the opposing direction line(s) to the Royal train had to be stopped. Specifically to be held at the signal box controlling the entry to the section through which the Royal train would soon pass and with sufficient time so that the guards of goods trains could ensure that no load was protruding and to inform the signalman that this had been done. Passenger trains, empty coaching stock, parcels and the like signalled as express trains or as 1-3-1 (Class C) or light engines could continue through the section unless a water trough was in the section, in which case no train was allowed into the section until the Royal train had passed through the section.

 

[KevinBrum12]

The Royal Train has bot always been used for Royals but for other VIP's attending the country on state business. Remember travelling into Birmingham Snow Hill in 1998 for work from Tyseley on the Saturday of the G8 being held in the city (the one where Bill Clinton was photoed buying a pint at a canalside pub).

Us regular users were diverted through the "hole in the wall" entrance tvia the multi-story car park into Livery Street. The main walkway into Colmore Row was sealed off with crush barriers and West Midlands Police's armed finest guarding it, but with a red carpet and tubs of flowers covering up the concrete floor. Another load of carpet rolled up on the concourse for there and for the plaftform to go down for William and Harry's arrival. From memory this was to take the world leaders and their wives to Chequers to have some hospitality and continue discussions at the PM's official country residence.

Snow Hill was used for obvious reasons. Somehow I don't think Madame Chirac, Mrs Clinton and Mrs Yeltsin would have been too impressed with platform 2 at Birmingham New Street!!!

 

[Taunton]

As you say, all traffic on the opposing direction line(s) to the Royal train had to be stopped.

This was even the case for lines passing over. When the Royal Train left Paddington then Piccadilly and District Line trains had to be stopped for a minute at the bridge over the line at Ealing.

I missed it at Taunton, but fellow spotters in youthful times saw it. At our footbridge west of the station a policeman apparently turned up about 10 minutes before it, and said nothing. All the main line signals were pulled off well in advance as it was double-blocked, and the King hauling it was immaculate. The policeman smiled, and disappeared. Down at the station no platform tickets were issued to spotters until it had passed. This was about 1960.

A few years before that it actually changed locos at Taunton and set off down the Barnstaple line, with its spindly viaducts, so two old stalwart Taunton 43xx, 6327 and 6372, were sent down to Newton Abbot works and repainted in green livery, which they retained well afterwards. A special wagon of hand-picked coal was sent down from South Wales, after they had been coaled the rest went into the next locos at the stage, who all commented how brilliant it was, no ash formed, etc. Double-headed locos were not allowed over the Tone or the Exe viaducts on the south side of Exmoor, so at each the pilot loco was uncoupled on approach and run ahead, being caught up afterwards. All this mullarkey could have been avoided going via Exeter. On the Southern? Hand the Royal Train over to the SOUTHERN? Wash your mouth out ...

 

[Harpo]

I know of at least one occasion where the planner forgot that the train reversed en route and had the carpet in completely the wrong location !!

Maunday Thursday at Bristol??

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

I saw the Royal Train at Hazel Grove during the Queen's Silver Jubilee tour in 1977 - one of the first outings for the Mk 3 coaches. The station had been repainted and various potted plants adorned the platform. What was surprising was that the normal service trains more or less kept running - I arrived a mere 10 minutes before on a rather less glamorous Cl 104 Buxton DMU and was promptly shooed out of the station! The Queen then motored to Stockport along the A6 - the train then went ECS somewhere to pick her up.

In Devon the Heathfield branch was a favourite for an overnight stop; in Cornwall the Ponts Mill branch (off the Newquay line near St. Blazey). The Duke of Edinburgh was the last passenger at Devonport King's Road in 1965 - it was still in use as goods depot then and used for an overnight stop prior to a visit to the Dockyard.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

My brother in law worked as a rolling stock fitter at Bescot way back , and he and his boss - the Area Maintenance engineer were always strategically placed - for passing Royals if passing through their turf , say at Nuneaton for anything going down the Trent Valley with a very wide range of tools and parts "just in case" in the depot van , very boring work at often anti social times. Never called on for action.

 

[John Webb]

The Royal Train has bot always been used for Royals but for other VIP's attending the country on state business......

The booklet referred to in my post #6 above has three grades of train, the Royal Train proper with the four lamp headcode, a second version with ordinary express headcode for the Special and a third variation where an ordinary passenger train is being used.

 

[75A]

My only experience of the Royal Train was of great disappointment.
In the early 1970's the Queen came to Chichester, my friends and I were all waiting cameras in hand and what did she arrive in?
A shiny 4 Cig unit, boy were we cross.

 

[eastwestdivide]

My only experience of the Royal Train was of great disappointment.
In the early 1970's the Queen came to Chichester, my friends and I were all waiting cameras in hand and what did she arrive in?
A shiny 4 Cig unit, boy were we cross.

Similar here, the Queen to Maidstone East, in a 4-REP of all things. Maybe she wanted a buffet car! About 1980? There’s a photo at https://www.kentrail.org.uk/Maidstone East.htm

Oh and also the full train glimpsed, bleary-eyed from an overnight train, on the approach to Inverness. It had gone when we set out again on the first Aberdeen service. Also around 1980-odd.

 

[Dren Ahmeti]

Similar here, the Queen to Maidstone East, in a 4-REP of all things. Maybe she wanted a buffet car! About 1980? There’s a photo at https://www.kentrail.org.uk/Maidstone East.htm

Oh and also the full train glimpsed, bleary-eyed from an overnight train, on the approach to Inverness. It had gone when we set out again on the first Aberdeen service. Also around 1980-odd.

My favourite quote on this topic from a more modern era:

During the meeting - hosted by Tory MP Bim Afolami - he indiscreetly revealed: "The Queen doesn't like the new trains - she prefers the old ones to take her to Kings Lynn".


Cheshire indicated she much prefers the seating layout on the 365 version rather than the 387 model.

 

[sh24]

I saw the now King arrive at Cardiff int the mid-90’s. Other than being shooed away from the end of the platform (very politely) by an armed policeman it was all very low. No interruption to other trains, passengers allowed on the same island platform.

I felt sorry for him that the haulage was a Spoon (aka 47).